Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with skincare

Where can I find decent body oil for a decent price?

silkygreenbelly — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:00:44 -0800

Me and my skin recently discovered that we both like body oil a lot more than lotion. The stuff I've seen so far when out shopping comes in very tiny jars and is a bit expensive for me. Any suggestions for body oil in bulk? I've tried Burt's Bee's Lemon oil, which I liked but $8.00 for 4oz feels kind of expensive. I like lightly scented stuff but usually not "flower" scented.

Directions on where to get or advise on how to best use, would be deeply appreciated.

Help me treat my skin as well as it treats me.

rglass — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:13:09 -0800

How do I figure out what facial cleansers are oil based, ph balanced and will treat my skin well? I learned a lot from a recent AskMefi question about facial cleansers but found myself confused about what to actually buy...I know that I want to use an oil based facial wash and avoid anything with sodium laureth sulfates. I don't understand how Cetaphil gets such rave reviews if it contains such detergents...

My cheeks tend to feel dry most of the time and my t zone is usually normal (it gets a bit oily if I don't wash for a couple of days but I never look greasy). Bottom line is that I want to treat my skin in as natural and respectful a manner as possible so it may look its best and feel its finest.

Suggestions for specific products? Any help navigating product lines would be helpful.

What is that facial stuff from American Psycho

Citizen Premier — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:45:04 -0800

I want to try that stuff you rub on your face and then peel off like a mask. What is it called, what does it do, and is there a cheap brand? I have flaky skin, so it would be cool if it cured that. But honestly I think it would just feel really good.

Help me find websites that trade or sell gently used cosmetics.

scazza — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:06:08 -0800

Help me find websites that trade or sell gently used cosmetics. Found this thread from 2006; is there anything other than Makeup Alley? Ebay is not the best. I'm looking for a specific very expensive moisturizer. I saw that Makeup Alley has some bad reviews of this product and I wonder what those people did with what they had left. I'm not worried about sanitary issues, this has a very sanitary container.

Thank you!

Does someone who doesn't wear makeup need a complicated beauty routine?

stewiethegreat — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:48:17 -0800

I have sensitive skin and wear no makeup. My skincare regimen has always been sunscreen during the day, washing my face with a soft cloth and water, and moisturizer before bed. Should I be doing more? (e.g., cleanser, toner, soap?) Recently a friend (who works at a skin care salon) was horrified to hear my skin routine only consisted of water, sunscreen, and moisturizer. She pointed out that my skin looks oily during the day (a side product, I’d always thought, of my SPF 50-70 sunscreen) and that I have dark pores on my nose that she said are “clogged”. She said that I should be using, at a minimum, cleanser and toner 2x daily and said that she uses Dermatologica but also thinks Clarens is good.

She isn’t trying to sell me anything- her salon doesn’t stock Dermatologica or Clarens and I’m trying to figure out if I should be fussing more with my skin. I thought I was treating my skin more gently than other people, and that since I don’t wear makeup I didn’t need to cleanse it of anything. From what I know about skin, I think I have oily/mixed skin type. I’m prone to occasional breakouts and in my late 20’s.

Should I be using more/other products, and if so, what? Thanks!

Please degrease me!

thisjax — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:47:52 -0800

What are your picks for mattifying moisturizers/primers for oily skin? My skin is mostly very oily, but due to a little bit of uneven texture and dryness, I like to use a bit of moisturizer under my powder foundation (MAC Studio Fix). I'm looking for a mattifying formula that isn't too drying. I'm not breakout-prone so I don't necessarily need anything medicated. Bargain picks are especially welcome (if they are available in Canada), but I'm open to all suggestions.

NB: If you were about to suggest it, yes, I've tried the Kiehl's Blue Herbal moisturizer and found it rather sticky feeling.

Moisturizer with SPF or separate sunscreen?

modernnomad — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:24:00 -0800

Men's moisturizer with SPF or separate moisturizer and sunscreen? Is there any difference, advantage, or disadvantage to using a single moisturizer with SPF versus a separate moisturizer and then sunscreen? I've noticed that the range of mens moisturizers tend to be quite limited, and when I do find one with SPF it seems to be substantially more expensive than a regular one. Thoughts?

Better Skin

Fairchild — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:59:44 -0800

Large pores on my face are getting me down. My skin is looking rougher and rougher as the years go by. I'm 36, female. I have a few sun spots on my cheeks and many large pores on and around my nose, on my cheeks, and basically all over the center of my face. I also have some superficial acne scars. I'm looking for solutions to get a more refined look. I'm not expecting miracles but it would nice to see some improvement.

Is there anything I can do besides harsh chemical peels in the doctor's office? I'm not against chemical peels but am concerned about recovery. Anecdotes are appreciated. Also, is there an at-home chemical peel line that you especially like?

I've had microdermabrasion in the past. I do think microdermabrasion is beneficial for looking more refreshed, but it does nothing to improve the texture of my skin, nor does it fade sun spots.

Thanks so much.

Skin care advice for guys

A Kingdom for a Donkey — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:49:20 -0800

Help me improve my skin care routine. I'm a guy in my mid-twenties and here's what I currently do: shave, then use a tea tree oil-based facial wash and finish up with a moisturising lotion. I do this once or twice a day. The moisturising lotion fixed my somewhat dry and flaking skin but I still have some issues with acne, especially in the area where I shave. I use a Gillette Fusion with new blades and Gillette Fusion shaving gel. Getting rid of the acne (which isn't too serious but still annoying) is priority number one but if there are other things I could improve then please let me know.

I think I'm failing a husband test

Shutter — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:48:17 -0800

I've been tasked with obtaining a "lactic acid mask" in the context of a dermatological product for my wife. Please point me to a recommendation, or a reasonable place where obsessive people talk about such things so that I can leech their wisdom?

just like a baby's butt

kidsleepy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:43:31 -0800

What can I do now, as a young woman, to ensure I have beautiful skin when I'm older? At lunch today, I noticed a woman who appeared to be in her fifties, but with beautiful skin - barely any wrinkles, smooth, and a healthy glow.

I'm 23, use Tazorac for some acne flare-ups, and always use sunscreen if I'm spending time outside. What products or techniques can I use now or in the near future to keep my skin healthy and youthful looking? Do I really need to worry about "anti-aging" and wrinkle creams, or are they a crock? Or am I too young to be worrying about this stuff?

How can I improve my skin's appearance?

rainygrl716 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:05:12 -0800

I'm sick of having horrible skin. I'm plagued with everything: acne, oil, dryness, blotchy redness, lines, large pores. Please help me improve my skin. I'm 23. As the title says I'm sick of having horrible skin.

I have oily skin in my t-zone with large, very visible pores. This past year my forehead seems to think I am going through puberty again or something because it has a lot of tiny little acne that just won't clear up. My forehead has two very deep, visible lines (creases) that I've had forever, but they bother me. I've also noticed that above my nose, where a person scowls, has lines now too that are sometimes very prominent (usually when I have been sleeping so I think I must be scowling in my sleep). Besides the lines and oiliness and acne, I sometimes get flaky skin around my nose.

I take a multivitamin, plus fish oil, plus b-complex, plus a calcium supplement, plus I drink a lot of green tea. I drink a lot of water. That is mostly all I drink. I rarely drink any soda.

My current skin regime is to wash twice a day with a mild soap. I moisturize at night with Oil of Olay but I have tried Burt's Bees products in the past without any improvement of my skin. I also use a moisturizer with sunscreen in the day. I was toning with tomato toner by Burts Bees that I had success with but I decided to give me skin a break these past couple months and cut out makeup and toning to see if my skin would improve. I also cut back on the moisturizer to see if my skin was being over processed or something. It hasn't improved one bit and the acne seems to be getting a lot worse.

What bothers me the most: the large pores and the lines and acne on my forehead and scowl region. My skin isn't radiant or glowing or anything great like that. It is dull and looks terrible and marred with so many problems. What products can I use to change that? What can I add or remove from my diet? Any tips or suggestions?

MAC moisturizer mix up

nadawi — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:49:36 -0800

I just ordered makeup from MAC and picked studio moisture fix instead of studio moisture cream. what's the difference between the two? i have amazingly dry and break out prone skin. cetaphil with the MAC studio moisture cream keeps it under control. when i was ordering, i guess i just wasn't paying attention (silly glass of wine) and clicked the wrong thing. do these products do different things? all the descriptions on the website and reviews are a tad vague, and no one compares them.

if it's important, i don't wear makeup ever and i'm 26.

if the fix won't work as a substitute, can i return things i bought online to a retail store? i've opened the box, but i haven't opened the moisturizer.

CLEAR SKIN CALLED, it said screw you

madmamasmith — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:07:10 -0800

well. i have searched and searched and there is alot out there , but i am looking for something specific. this question is about BLACKHEADS. I have had blackheads since i was a teen, when i was 20 i started getting zits too. Here I am 26 and my skin is the worst it has ever been.i have blackheads on every inch of my face and my face and scalp feel like an oil factory. I am a vegetarian, i dont eat crappy but i dont eat buckwheat cakes and organic chard everyday either maybe once a month i get drunk and maybe once a week have a soda, i do drink a couple coffees a week and my diet consists of alot of texmex but alot of organnic veggies too, i dont take vitamins cuz im really poor right now but in the past i have tried evening primrose, multivitamin, iron,birth control pills,,,i have used every face wash known to man as well as retina and other topicals, and now after 10 years of no noticeable difference i just use oatmeal soap and witchhazel. i was using jojoba cuz i heard that would help but it didnt but neither does lotion. basically i am freaking out, what do i do? i have the most sensitive skin so i scar really easy. i am too oily. i do everything u r supposed to ; drink water, change pillowcases, hot showers, all natural skincare,,,,help me please. I cant afford facials evryday but i did use to get microderms once a month to no avail as well as chemical peels that actually scarred me really bad. are there any remedies that anyone can suggest that have worked for you? home remedies, pills, liver cleanses? im so desperate, i hate looking in the mirror, dont lecture me.....just tell me if anything has worked for you

Seborrhea management tips?

MrVisible — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:58:19 -0800

Have any tips on successfully managing seborrhea? I've been diagnosed by a doctor and a dermatologist, and it's one of those medical conditions where there's no cure, and everyone has to find their own routine using a wide variety of treatment options. I just don't think mine is working very well.

I'm at the stage where my face is really red across the nose and cheeks and partly on the forehead, and the skin tends to get somewhat flaky. I use a ketoconazole shampoo once or twice a week, and a coal-tar shampoo occasionally too, lathering up my hair and face and leaving it on for about five or ten minutes at a time. When things get particularly bad, I have a prescription for 2% hydrocortizone cream, which I use sparingly and not very often, as it can cause its own problems. I use various lotions and moisturizers often, but none seem to make any long-term difference, though they relieve the flaking for a while.

Has anyone gotten a routine down which has their seborrhea under better control? Has anyone gotten back to where they don't look like they're blushing madly all the time, or have just gotten off a three-week bender? Seriously, I think I'd be pretty handsome right now if my hue wasn't a few shades off; help me get to like my face again.

Thanks.

What do you think of the Obagi Skin System?

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:49:13 -0800

Has anyone had experience with the Obagi Skin System? I went to see a Aesthetic/Laser Center today to see what could be done about my skin, which is damaged from my old bad habits of sun, booze, and cigarettes. I also had severe acne as a teenager, and have the scars and occasional flareups now.

The doctor recommended the Obagi Skin System - either by itself or in conjunction with some laser treatments. She said it involved Retin-A and hydroquinone. I've used Retin-A before, with decent results.

I've found some reviews online, but don't know quite how real they are. So I'm wondering - was it a sales pitch, or does the system really work?

ow! my face!

kidsleepy — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:50:06 -0800

I just started using Tazorac, and of course now my skin hates me (temporarily, I hope). Any recommendations for moisturizers? I've been using the Tazorac to treat acne for about a week now. I know that it's gonna get worse before it gets better (thanks to this earlier post). In the meantime, I'm on a quest for the perfect moisturizer. Tazorac makes my skin both incredibly dry AND incredibly sensitive (think sunburn). All the lotions I've tried feel good for about 1.5 seconds before the burning sensation sets in and I race for a washcloth. So far I've used a generic knockoff of Cetaphil, Jergens Shea Butter, Aveeno (regular formula), and plain sunscreen. These were what I had laying around the house; I'm a bit of a product junkie.

What's the best lotion for my sensitive, dry, acne-prone skin?

I know I should be worried about global warming, but...

nax — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:52:58 -0800

ExfoliantFilter: My favorite exfoliant has been discontinued! I've been using Mary Kay Body Care Buffing Cream. Its a very gentle fine grain, kinda sandy, and I cannot find anything comparable-- all the ones I've tried, including the new Mary Kay one, have had too large a grain. (Plus, it's baby blue, a completely bizarre and wonderful color for body cream, not that it really matters.)

Or, if you're a Mary Kay consultant and can get your hands on some, I'll pretty much pay any money.

A wrinkle in my morning routine

dancinglamb — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:27:01 -0800

Why is it recommended that you use Topical Vitamin C in the morning and not at night? I've been using Philosophy's skin care line for the past several months and absolutely love it. I have a little sample sized bottle of Hope and a Prayer, which is their topical vitamin C powder (you mix it in with moisturiser *just* before you put it on your face). The few times that I have used it, I've seen a pretty dramatic difference in my skin. Since I bought it on drugstore.com, I couldn't ask anybody the following (and the lady at Sephora was pretty clueless):

The directions are very specific in saying that you're supposed to do it in the morning, and all other references I've seen regarding the use of topical Vit. C say the same. Why?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have it in your face at night when you don't have makeup over it to kind of muddle it up?

Why is my skin 41 going on 14?

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:54:22 -0800

Why am I, in my 40's, suddenly breaking out like a teenager? In the past few weeks I have developed lots of acne. It's mostly clusters of pimples and blackheads on my jawline. But I also have whiteheads on my nose and around my mouth, which reappear the day after I squeeze them.

Some background - I am female and in my early 40's. I had a bad complexion when I was in my teens and early 20's, to the point that I was prescribed Accutane and the skin problems mostly subsided. The acne returned in my later 20's and I was prescribed Retin-A. I used it up until last year, when my dermatologist switched me over to Avage (which is a tazarotene .1% cream) because he thought it would be less drying than the Retin-A.

My skincare routine is simple - in the morning I wash with Cetaphil and use nothing on my face except for sunscreen (Neutrogena Dry Touch). At night I use the Avage. During the winter months I use a fairly heavy moisturizer because the dry/cold air dries out my skin so much that it flakes. I rarely wear makeup.

I am in good health, eat well, and take multivitamins and Omega-3 capsules daily. I am also using a no-estrogen birth control pill (Camila).

I am of Irish descent and my skin is fair. I get flushed when I exert myself or drink, and I got some significant sunburns when I was younger and have some sun damage (freckles and spots).

I have been, for the most part, pimple free, over the past 10-ish years. No part of my regimen/lifestyle has changed recently, except in positive ways - less stress and booze, no more smoking, and lots more sleep.

So what would cause this problem? I suspect it might be the heavy moisturizer, so could anyone recommend something that won't make me break out?

How do I improve my dull, lifeless skin?

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:50:54 -0800

My skin is terrible. It's not just the acne, though I do have that. It is mottled and dull. I have deep shadows under my eyes. Wrinkles are spreading under my eyes and from the corners of my nose to my mouth. I don't (and never have) smoked, nor lived around smokers. I drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I'm a female in my early 20s, and I've got the skin of a nicotine and alcohol addict in their forties. What am I doing wrong? More treatment details inside. On top of what I already said, I do the following:
- I wash with Cetaphil and warm water, no washcloth or face scrubbing outside of a once or twice-weekly exfoiliation scrub.
- At night I apply either a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide treatment or a 2% salicylic acid treatment, though never both at once.
- In the mornings I use a retinoic acid moisturizer.
- At different times of the day (so they don't interfere with one another), I take biotin, a multivitamin, B-vitamins, a calcium-magnesium-zinc combination pill, an extra zinc vitamin, and fish oil.
- I exercise regularly.
- I am approximately ten pounds overweight, but otherwise in good health
- I sleep at least 7-8 hours per night 90% of the time
- I have taken various forms of birth control, but they didn't do anything for my skin and made me crazy.
- I have tried Differin and Retin-A, neither which did much (though that was years ago, maybe I should give it another shot?)

Possible Causes
- I have had a history of bad, blistered sunburns when I was younger--though only two or three times have they blistered on my face. Now I wear sunscreen.
- There was a six-month period two years ago when I drank way, way too much almost daily. This has long since ended.

In terms of treatment, I feel like I'm doing most everything right, but my skin just seems to get worse. I get tiny bumps all over my forehead and blemishes on my cheeks (it is not cystic acne). My skin is dull and lifeless-looking. It's awful. I could deal with the acne if I at least had a healthy glow, but I don't. What more can I do?

Undereye wrinkle treatment that actually works to heal wrinkles?

Ashley801 — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:54:23 -0800

Know of any products that heal undereye wrinkles? I'm looking for a product that will actually heal/reverse wrinkles over the long term, rather than just temporarily improving their appearance.

I'm 24. For years, I've only had one or two fine wrinkles under my eyes. Over the past few months, I've developed a *huge*, deep, diagonal, gash-like wrinkle under my left eye. I don't like this development and want to do what I can to ameliorate it.

I already drink quite a bit of water and moisturize.

hey man, how'd you make that lotion?

jadepearl — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:43:08 -0800

Need advice on making the ultimate moisturizer. I suffer dry skin and worse, sandal foot. You know, when you live in sandals and have chapped, rough, non-fetishizable feet. The rest of my body suffers winter skin. So, I was thinking of making my own cream using unrefined shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter and almond oil. First, which suppliers would you suggest; second, anyone with advice who has done this?

I know that there are many lotions out there but I want to have control and no petroleum products in my lotion/creme. I prefer organic and unrefined. Any advice, comments and sources welcome.

What's in your skin care arsenal fellas ?

hboogz — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:30:08 -0800

Which are the better facial cleansers for men who have oily skin ? Further to that, which natural ingredients help contain oiliness and maintain a healthy face. I know some may have your home brewed elixirs -- care to share ?

Ew, Desert Hands

ilsa — Wed, 09 May 2007 10:08:07 -0800

Help me find a hand and body moisturizer. Difficulty: Las Vegas. Recently moved (back to) Las Vegas. I am still very very happy with the products I am using on my face, but I have yet to find a hand/body product that really pleases me. My hands in particular get very dry. Nexcare was just barely adequate in a more humid environment, but I honestly don't like the smell, and I feel like it really isn't holding up as well here in the desert.

I require a hand/body product that holds up well over the course of the day with little re-application, keeps my skin from cracking, and has a minimal (or at least pleasant) smell. Bonus points for being a multi-purpose product, such as a "moisturizing body wash" (although I question how something can both clean and and leave something behind) or a "moisturizer with sunscreen." Additional bonus points for reasonable price ($15 > tube), mega bonus for ways I can get a sample quantity.